A New Name and a New Future

At significant moments in Biblical history, God changed the name of a few characters to correspond with their relationship, identity, and future related to Him:

Abram (high/exalted father) to Abraham (father of a great multitude) – cf. ACC Ge 17:5

Sarai (my princess) to Sarah (princess of nations) – cf. ACC Ge 17:5

Jacob (supplanter) to Israel (prince with God) – cf. ACC Ge 32:28

Lucifer (morning star) to Satan (adversary) – cf. ACC Isa 14:12 & ACC Job 1:6

Simon (hearing) to Peter (rock/stone fragment) – cf. SC Grk4613/Heb 8095/Heb8085 & cf. ACC Mt 16:18

Joseph (let him add) to Barnabas (son of encouragement/exhortation) – cf. SC Heb3130 & ACC Ge 30:24 & cf. ACC Ac 4:36

Saul (asked/sought) to Paul (Latin: little/dwarf -or- Heb: extraordinary/ wonderful) – cf. ACC Ac 13:9

ACC = Adam Clarke Commentary, SC = Strong’s Concordance

Similar to a bride whose name and identity changes to her husband’s when wed, God will, at a significant moment in history, change His bride’s name to correspond with her new relationship, identity, and future in Him.

Re 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

Re 3:12 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”

And, although the bride may not know the new name yet, God already does!